martyrdom.victor.04 Chapter 1

Now, therefore, may God bless thee because of the refreshing (or, rest) which thou hast given unto me during the little time which I have been with thee; and may my soul rest with thee for ever!

And now I am going to a strange country, and into a city that is not mine, wherein I shall beg from one person after another, and wherein I shall be a helpless and a most miserable stranger.

Verily, O my mother I am become an orphan, fatherless and motherless.

If at this present time a man goes away on a journey into a far country, whether in connection with trafficking- or whether for some other purpose

when he cometh back after a long time to his house he will find his servants and his parents and his kinsfolk alive; and if he hath suffered tribulation in the strange land he will forget his sufferings, because he will find all his people safe and sound.

On the other hand, wretched and miserable is that man who, when he goeth on a journey into a strange country, must abide in exile until he die,

and indeed, such is my own case this day. I am going to make myself a stranger unto thee, and unto all the people of my house.

Swear by thy salvation, O my mother, that thou wilt not neglect to enquire after my body.

If I die, be not forgetful of my youth.

Remember, O my mother, that I passed nine months in thy womb before thou didst bring me forth, and that I drank at thy breasts for three years

Then straightway his mother and his slaves wept (for him), for he was a kind-hearted man, and would hearken unto the man of no account as well as unto the noble.

And his mother said

Look at me, O my son Victor.

What hath happened to thee?

Could not the Emperor have sentenced thee to pay a fine of gold or silver

rather than have made thee endure these things and banishment to a remote city?

Explain to me why it is that thou art in this disgraceful state.

Explain to me so that I may sacrifice my own soul (or, life) to save thee.

Is not thy father present in the Palace that the Emperor hath done these things unto thee?

And Apa Victor said unto his mother

All these things have happened unto me because of my father, but God shall, in truth, forgive him, O my mother.

Had it not been for the Emperor my father would have cut off my head.

A stranger hath had compassion upon me

and my father hath not had compassion upon me this year.

O my mother, if my father shall do evil (?) shall he not die ?

Diocletian shall become blind before he dieth, he shall receive alms at the g-ate of the city of Antioch, and his seed shall perish quickly, because he hath persecuted the Name of the Lord Jesus.

Woe be unto every one who shall hearken unto him, for their habitation shall be the pit of the abyss for ever, and their father is the Devil.

And his mother said unto Apa Victor

Dost thou not know that in the coming month I am going to take thy bride for thee?

And Apa Victor said unto his mother

O my mother, what use is it for thee to bring me a bride, and to put riches of every kind into my hands?

For it is written

The world shall pass away and the desirable things thereof, but he who shall do the will of God shall abide for ever.

Now therefore, O my mother, do thou the will of God, so that thou mayest live for ever.

For gold and silver rust, (fine) raiment becometh moth-eaten and falleth into holes,- a man dieth and he turneth into corruption in the tomb, and the remembrance of him perisheth on the earth; but the righteous man shall never be moved.

O my mother, say not in thy heart that possessions are of value, for they have no value with God, Who can make the poor man into a rich man, and the rich man into a poor man before the sun shall set this day.

After these things he set out and departed, and he took off the ring which was on his finger, and gave it to his mother, and he prayed to God in the following words, saying

Jesus, my Lord, Who sittest upon the chariot of the Cherubim and Seraphim,' (Whom theca angels) stand before. Whom the denizens of the heavens call 'Sabaoth,' ' Whom the peoples on the earth ll Jesus the Christ ', Whom the nations call 'the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit', keep Thou me without movement (i. e. steadfast), and without, trepidation.

Lead Thou me not into temptation, for I am not capable of hearing up against it, but deliver me from the Evil One. For unto Thee belong the power and the glory for ever. Amen.

O my Lord, be Thou with me in every place wherein they shall take me for I know not whither they will carry me.

After these words he blessed all his household and saluted (i. e. kissed) them.

And he sealed the door of his bedroom in the Name of thee Christ Jesus, and come out, and said

O my house and my servants, truly I am departing from you, and I am departing from thee, O my mother; never again after this moment shall I return to gaze upon you.

Remember, O my servants, that I have never neglected (?) any one of you, or (any) stranger.

I am not like unto other young men who are uninstructed, and I have never spoken a word out of place, but I have paid to the humble man the respect that was due to his humble estate, and to the noble the honour that was due to his exalted degree.

Verily, O my mother, with the very same treatment which I have meted out to the general and the eparoh, have I treated the man who was poor and him who was wretched, and I have paid honour unto them as unto God

I have never for a single day manifested any sign of haughtiness and pride, for I knew that each and every one of us must die.

And after these things Apa Victor came out and joined himself unto the soldiers

and they put the gag in his mouth

and they seized him, and dragged him along

and placed him in a boat; and when they had arrived at Rakote, they transferred him to the prison

and they delivered the letter (of the Emperor) to Armenins, Count of Rakote.

And at the third hour of the twentieth day of Pharmoute, the soldiers took the letter and had it read to the Duke, according to that which Diocletian had written therein.

THE SECOND MARTYRDOM OF SAINT APA VICTOR THEGENERAL.

IN THE PEACE OF GOD. MAY HIS HOLY BLESSING COME UPON US, AND MAY WE ALL RE SAVED. AMEN.

And the Duke was in the praetorium passing sentences of judgement upon the soldiers for the sake of the Name of the Christ

and he commanded that Apa Victor should be guarded in prison until the following day.

And on the morrow, when the Count was seated on the judgement throne, in the midst of the market-place of Rakote,

he gave orders, saying

Bring to me this Profane man Apa Victor, who hath been banished hither, and concerning whom the Emperors letter hath already been read to me.

And when they had brought Victor before the Count, he said unto him

Wilt thou not read the letter which concerneth my patient endurance again?

(If thou wilt) thou wilt find stated in it that I have been banished to this Place for the sake of this Name (of Christ, for they) said, 'Offer sacrifice (to Apollo)'; because I will not offer up sacrifice (I have been brought here)

The Duke said unto him

O bad head! Wouldst thou make a mock of me?

By the health of Apollo, this is thy punishment: we are to destroy thy body by fire. Knowest thou not that it is the emperor who hath commanded me what I am to do unto thee?

He hath commanded me to cast thee into the furnace of the baths

but I would shew mercy unto thee for the sake of thy father

And Apa Victor spake unto the Duke, saying

Yesterday thou didst disgrace my father ; do not disgrace him to-day. And moreover, (in spite of what) thou sayest

I will make bold and will speak in thy presence, according to this world.

In times past, before I was delivered over unto thee, I received rations and money (from the emperor)

and I was also the fourth officer in his Palace with the rank of Count; and after the Emperor, my father was the second (in rank) in the Palace.

But if I go on to speak of these things thou wilt say that I am a man of overweening pride.

O Duke, remember thou the day wherein thou wast appointed Count and didst enter upon thy duties.

Thou didst make supplication to my father, saying

Make me Count of Rakote.

And my father did not consider thee of sufficient honour for the position, and would not discuss the matter with thee. Then thou didst make entreaty to me secretly, and didst say

Speak to thy father on my behalf. Let him take from me three centenarii of gold, and give me the office of Count.

And I took thee into my house, and I made all my slaves to wait upon thee, and they received gifts of gold armlets (from thee). And after these things my father came in

and I threw myself on my knees before him on the ground, and I remained there until he was persuaded by me, and he made thee a Count.

And yet thou didst not keep in mind any one of these things for which thou canst now repay me. But it is written in the Gospel

He who did eat of my bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.'

And the Duke made (his men) to inflict gashes in the face of Apa Victor, and he made them to stretch him out with thongs (of leather)

and they gave unto him fourteen stripes with the triple flogging whips, saying

I will torture thee until thou diest, according to the orders of the Emperor.

Afterwards the Duke made his man to drive iron nails into his hands and feet

and he covered (?) his whole body with iron, from his head to his feet

and he cast him into prison, where they abandoned him to hunger and thirst until the following day.

And when the morning was come the Count made them bring Apa Victor unto him, and when he bad been brought into his presence every part of him was loaded with iron (fetters).

And the blessed man Apa Victor was not able to walk because of the weight of the iron which had been placed on his body

and the soldiers supplied twelve (men and) they carried him.

And when he had entered into the praetorium the Duke said unto him

Can Jesus in Whom thou believest deliver thee out of my hands?

(Nay). Put thy belief in Apollo, who is able to save thee, and especially in Artemis, the greatest of the gods

And Apa Victor said unto him

I will not offer up sacrifice

And the Duke commanded his men to hoist him up on the wooden framework of the rack, and he said unto Apa Victor

Wilt thou offer up sacrifice or not?

And Apa Victor said

I will not offer up sacrifice.

And the Duke commanded his men to work the rack and stretch him

but Apa Victor did not feel at all what they were doing

and the executioners were exhausted, and they ceased working the rack.

The Duke said unto them

Why do ye not continue to work the rack?

And they said unto him

He is like unto a wall, or a stone, which feeleth nothing however much it may be racked.

And the heart of Apa Victor was carried up into the heights of heaven

and (the angels) instructed him concerning the kingdom of heaven

and concerning the city of the righteous, and the saints saluted him.

And Abel and Zacharias came up to him, and they said unto him

Greatly distinguished art thou, O Apa Victor.'

Michael said unto him

Bear patiently, O valiant athlete. Fear thou not this tyrant, for I will be with thee, and I will deliver thee.

I say unto thee that as the angels are wont to utter the names of all the saints coupled with (their own) names established in heaven before the Lord Jesus.

At that moment, when thou shalt lift thy hands upp to heaven they shall take the form of the seal of heaven and they shall give light within the veil, before the altar of sacrifice

And an exceedingly sweet-smelling savour shall rise up before the Father, for the refreshing of those who are in the heavens

and the refreshing shall extend also to those who are undergoing punishments (or, tortures)

And the angels shall rejoice over thee, and Jesus shall exult upon His throne, and all the saints shall be glad with thee

After (these things) Michael released the soul of Apa Victor

and it came and entered again into his body, which was suspended upon the frame of the rack. And Michael informed him concerning everything that should happen to him.